Welcome to Gakko / Gotan-e Link

On a gloriously bright and crisp morning here in the UK I’m really thrilled to announce that my Dharma friend Gakko will be joining this blog as a contributor. Gakko (her Dharma name) is from Chicago, USA where she attended the Midwest Buddhist Temple during Rev. Ogui’s tenure as priest. More recently she moved to the UK where she has become a member of Three Wheels temple which Jishin and I also attend. As well as bringing her own individual character to the blog her experiences on both sides of the Atlantic will provide a useful bridging perspective in discussions with our US Dharma friends.

In other matters some Shin temples have been celebrating Shinran’s birth this week past and Rev. Harry posted some useful information on the subject over at Level 8 Buddhist:

I just learned this stuff this past weekend getting ready for my own temple’s Gotan-e: the “go” in Gotan-e isn’t the honorific go/o 御 like in “onembutsu” or “gohan” but is actually a long go 降, and is the same character as “furu” as in “ame ga furu”/the verb for rain/precipitate. In this case, though, it apparently means “overcome” and “gotan” actually is used for the birth of a Buddha or bodhisattva into our world, especially Shakyamuni! I had no idea that Gotan-e wasn’t specific to Jodo Shinshu … Nakamura also points out that it is often used by various schools for the birth of their founder. So for Shinshu the full name is “Shuso Gotan-e” 宗祖降誕会 to show that it is about the founder (shuso).

 

Yurenbo Ensho 1139-1177

Honen always said “Meeting the Pureland Gate and Ensho have been my greatest joys in this life.” (四十八巻伝)

My teacher once told me that after Honen Shonin’s conversion experience at the Hoonzo library he was advised by a friend named Shinku to go and see a person named Yurenbo Ensho who had apparently experienced a similar kind of event. Although it is rarely mentioned in Pure Land circles it seems that a very deep spiritual friendship developed between Honen and Yurenbo.

Reverend Kemmyo Taira Sato writes:

One day, at the age of 43 (1175), Honen came upon a passage in Shan-tao’s Exposition of the Sutra of Meditation which is said to have converted him to Pure Land Buddhism.

After this awakening of faith in Amida Buddha, Honen went to see a younger hijiri, Yurenbo Ensho (1139–1177), having learned from one of his colleagues, Shinku, that this young hijiri had already experienced the same kind of conversion. Honen lived with the hijiri at Hirotani for the next two years.

At the age of forty-five, after the death of his friend Yurenbo Ensho, Honen moved to Yoshimizu in Kyoto.

Founded on these two important experiences, 1) religious conversion and 2) warm friendship with Yurenbo, Honen’s preaching, centred at Yoshimizu in the Higashiyama area of Kyoto, attracted many followers from every level of society. Shinran, one of his disciples, eulogizes in his gatha (Hymn on the Nembutsu of the Right Faith) : “Genku, our teacher, was well versed in the teaching of the Buddha. Pitying all of us ordinary beings, both good and evil, in this lonely land of ours [Japan], he promoted the true teaching and its realisation.”

Stephen (Bentree) of the JSRI Google group also kindly adds:

Yurenbo Ensho 1139-1177 - Third son of Shonagon Fujiwara no Michinori; became a monk at age 21, and lived in Hirotani - initially studying the Hokke Sutra, but later had a change of heart at some time and became a Nembutsu chanter. At 39 he became sick and Honen was at his side when he passed away … Ensho maybe was not with Honen for very long, but it would seem they had a very close relationship with each other. Honen always said “Meeting the Pureland Gate and Ensho have been my greatest joys in this life.” 四十八巻伝, and - another quote - “Thanks to Myohen I became a Nembutsu practioner” (Myohen was Ensho’s elder half-brother). [Quote translated from 法然聖人絵 and rest is from http://www.jodo.or.jp/ disciples page]

Admittedly it is on the disciples page, but considering the closeness of age, the similarities in backgrounds and the warmth Honen uses, they were probably really great friends. His death must have deeply affected Honen, but when he talks about Yurembo it seems to be in the context of joy and appreciation. Maybe the manner in which he passed away finally confirmed to Honen that the Nembutsu was the true way, and the importance of reciting the Nembutsu at the last stages of life.

It is my experience that such friendships are crucial to the practice of the Dharma and I am so grateful for those which I have been fortunate to receive. Namuamidabutsu.

 

Introducing Jishin

I’m really happy to be able to tell you that my dear Dharma friend Jishin will shortly be joining me in blogging from time to time on this site. You can read a short bio on the ‘About Us’ page.

Jishin and I first met seven years ago and started attending our current home temple at the same time. We have walked the path together ever since; supporting one another and sharing what we learn. I am sure that, like me, you will find his quiet, gentle and deep reflections on the path to be of great merit. Namuamidabutsu.